I hope you are having a great week and enjoying this rain. Don’t we need it?
On Sunday in the first sermon in a series of three, What Christians Do, we focused on the fact that We Pray.
Remember that I asked you specifically to pray for three different people each day this week. Here’s a story that was told:
A mother had two sons, one a gardener and the other a potter. Said the gardener, ‘O mother, pray to God for rain to water my plants.’ Said the potter, ‘O mother, pray to God for sunshine to dry my pots.’ Now the mother loved them equally well. Shall she pray for rain or sun? She decided that she would pray for both her sons and leave their requests in the hands of God.
(adapted from Harry Emerson Fosdick, The Meaning of Prayer, written in 1915)
Well, it is Wednesday – how are you doing in this prayer experiment? If you’ve lifted up three people each day in prayer, great, keep going. If you have forgotten – it is only Wednesday, start now. And, if you weren’t here to accept the challenge, won’t you begin today.
On Sunday we’ll focus on part II, What Christians Do: We Think.
I hope to see you tonight as we listen to one of Paul’s sermons.
Last week on vacation I began an interesting book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Now, I don’t practice Zen, nor do I ride motorcycles, and I know virtually nothing about how either works. Nevertheless, isn’t reading the thing that can take you places you’ve never gone? An escape?
This book was a runaway hit in the early 70’s and has been on my list for a while. It is also pretty easy reading and on one level is the story about a father, his eleven year-old son and two other friends who ride out West on the back of motorcycles. This part of the storyline is simple.
But, like with many good books, there is a deeper story, also. You see, this father is trying to figure out his life. He is on a journey – and I’m a sucker for journeys – and is trying to understand what it is that he’s lost in life. He must first comprehend the past to understand who he is now and who he can be tomorrow. When read on this level, it is a book of Philosophy.
One thought that has captured my imagination occurs as the father is trying to understand the difference between himself and one of his riding partners. He observes that we glean our picture of the world as we notice a myriad of events in our lives and select them and sort them and process them. The author’s exact quotes was, We take a handful of sand form the endless landscape of awareness around us and call that handful of sand the world.
My wheels have really been turning on this. I’ve known people whose world was simply as big as their living room and what they could see from it. One said, Did you know that 17 school buses pass our house each morning on the way to school? That’s 3 more than last year!
I’ve also known people whose world was grand. I knew one lady who was basically confined to her very small home in rural Virginia because of physical limitations, yet her world was large and full of ideas that she wanted to discuss with me. She was involved with many people and lived life to the fullest with her mind through books and conversation and worship.
I wonder what sand I am holding in my hand and how it shapes my understanding of the world. I fear I often hold tight to the wrong things. I worry and am anxious. I can be selfish. My world gets too small. I rely too much on myself.
A wise person once said, One must look at the world with the Bible in one hand and the New York Times in the other. (Feel free to substitute your newspaper of choice.) I would add, When in doubt, focus on the Bible and the Good News therein, for it is here that we find our grounding.
Late one afternoon on the beach last week I stood with my feet in the sand; the coolish waves were lapping over my ankles. As I looked up I saw the moon clearly in the darkening blue sky. I think I began to understand being ‘wed to heaven yet rooted on earth.’
What do you hold in your hand that shapes your understanding of the world? My prayer is that you hold tight to what is Hopeful and Best and learn to turn loose of everything else. Jesus said it this way, But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mt 6.33)
Blessings,
Ande
Do you have comments? I'd love to hear: ande.myers@gmail.com
This afternoon I want to talk with you about when things don’t go as you had planned. Maybe you can relate.
Our family is fresh off our vacation for the summer and rested and ready for what comes next, I suppose. Now, I’ve always loved the beach, not so much the sand but the sounds and the wind and the waves and the food and the schedule or lack thereof. In preparation for our trip to the beach I pulled out a novel, a book of sermons by Gardner C. Taylor, and a memoir to take with me. I had started all three before we went, which proves critical for me to be motivated to read on vacation. (In the past Michelle and I have always worked to carve out time for one another to be able to read and just think while at the beach.) I also was preparing to pray about certain areas in my life where discernment is needed at this time.
Well, lo and behold, two days before we were to leave, Michelle was called to KY to care for her parents and I went on to the beach with our three kids in tow to meet my sister, her family and my parents.
I did little reading at the beach. Also, instead of much quiet time spent in prayer for discernment, my prayers were simple, short, and simply asking for strength and wisdom. This was not my intention, for I had planned to pray about very specific topics and issues; instead I could only pray in broad strokes. God, please give me strength for today. I was so very tired and this was all I could do.
Maybe Anne Morrow Lindbergh was right when she said, The beach is not the place to work; to read, write or think. I rested and laughed and jogged and prayed and was as quiet as I could be. (Incidentally, the Lindbergh quote was from the first line of her wonderful book, Gift from the Sea. The first line was about as far as I got on vacation in this profound memoir.)
I realize the strength God has given me was in the form of rest. Discernment will have to come in time. I wonder, where do you need God’s strength today? Are you even aware of where it is needed in your life? If not, perhaps God will show you…
Recently in our Sunday School Class we have been focusing on the life of Joseph. You’ll remember he was a bright and confident young man with a promising future before him. Until … he was despised and sold into slavery by his brothers.
End of story, right? No! In Egypt he rose through the ranks and served Potiphar and was loyal to him – even at great cost. Joseph ended up in prison, so, end of story, right?
No! There, even in prison, he was faithful and true and used the gifts God had given him. He was almost forgotten in prison until he was recognized to be wise and given great responsibility by Pharaoh himself.
This responsibility brought him full circle and face to face with his brothers again. And through all of this God brought reconciliation.
The verse that sums up Joseph’s plight is found in Genesis 50.20:
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (NLT)
Basically, the story of Joseph is a reminder that God is above all, in all and can work through all. As David once said, Where can I flee from your presence?
I was reminded of a couple of questions asked by William C. Martin in The Art of Pastoring: Contemplative Reflections. I will quote Martin:
There are two questions that need to be answered in order to move along the path toward God. One could spend a lifetime just considering these two questions and answers.
The first question is, What time is it?
The second question is, Where are you?
The only correct answer to the first question is, Now!
The only correct answer to the second is, Here!
So, I wonder, What time is it in your life? Where are you? Remember, God is at work in your life and has big plans for you whether you can see his hand at the moment or not.
Blessings,
Ande
If you have comments, I'd like to hear them: ande.myers@gmail.com.
It is great to be back from our mission trip to Paducah, KY. You know that the ministry of Carpenters for Christ has been so meaningful and instrumental in our church’s life.
One of the traditions at Carpenters is that after each meal during the trip someone shares a devotional thought. On Saturday a week ago, I was asked to and would like to share with you some of what was said.
This week is my sixth Carpenters for Christ trip and that is hard for me to believe. Each trip has been a unique blessing in my life. Throughout the years I’ve enjoyed the devotions that different ones of you have shared and as I reflect on these and as I’ve listened to you and as I’ve shared myself, I am struck by how similar our stories really are. We’ve shared stories of joy and of pain; we’ve shared of loneliness, brokenness, and family challenges. One thing we’ve also all shared is this – testimonies of God’s faithfulness.
The Scripture I want to share with you this morning is found in the third chapter of Revelation. It is Jesus’ word to one of the churches, a church that had not really made a decision for Christ. This church was neither hot nor cold.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Notice this invitation from the Lord – I want to come in to sup with you. Jesus does not want to linger on the stoop; he doesn’t want to sit in the foyer. He wants to be at the table, at the heart of the home.
Once some friends of Michelle’s invited us to supper.When we arrived they weren’t ready, so they invited us into the kitchen and involved us in the preparation. Dawn said, You do the salad. And, Ande, can you put together the casserole?
As we worked together in the kitchen and as we eventually shared that meal together we had a great time. On the way back home I said, I didn’t really know them before, but now I really feel like I know their family. This is what sharing a meal can do.
And Jesus’ invitation to us is this: I stand at the door and knock. Can I please come in and sup with you?
Gardner Taylor has shared about this picture, The Light of the World – By Holman Hunt.
Hunt presented it to one of the colleges at Oxford and at the reception, one friend pulled him aside and said, Holman, I’m afraid you’ve made a terrible mistake.
What is it?
The door at which Jesus stands has no knob on it.
Holman replied to his friend, There is no mistake. That door must be opened from the inside.
And Jesus says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Today will be filled with invitations from Christ. Will you open the door.
Wednesday night in prayer meeting we considered Psalm 8. Surely the psalmist penned this after gazing into a night sky.
Here are some of the verses from the New King James translation of the Bible: O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens! …When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?
When have you last taken the time to ‘consider’ the Lord and his excellence? Our lives can be so busy; we run to a fro from this to that. And reflection takes time, as does ‘consideration.’ They take planning and commitment. They take prioritizing and effort.
One has said, If you have but three minutes to give to Bible reading in the morning, give one minute to reading and two to thinking about what you’ve read. These are wise words, indeed.
A few weeks ago my parents went to Florida to watch Atlantis’ last flight. She’s taken 32 trips and flow 120 million miles in the last 25 years. One of her sisters also launched the Hubble Space Telescope in 1990. (The space images here are provided by Hubble. Launch shot taken by Dad.)
Atlantis reminds us that we’ll go to great lengths to observe the heavens, which brings me back to the psalmist. His wonder, his attention, his focus, his gaze went from the night sky to the Creator of it all.
And there, to the praise of the Lord God, did he return:
O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!
In the days to come will you focus your gaze on God’s wonderful creation? Take the time to notice the smile of a loved one or the face of your child or the beauty of nature or by a gaze into the night sky (in short, simply pay attention to God's wonderful Creation). My hope is that this focus will cause a praise to God on High to well up inside of you to the point of overflowing.
Blessings,
Ande
If you have thoughts you'd like to share, please email me at: ande.myers@gmail.com
On Sunday I was to be away on vacation, but, really at the last minute, we weren't able to go away for the week. So, on Monday, I began looking at Acts 1 and this sermon came to be. It was a pleasant surprise to me and I want to share a bit of it with you...
On Tuesday of this past week I had lunch with two pastors in town. As we chatted I asked, What big plans do you have this summer?
One said, Well, as you know, in July we are expecting our second little girl. (Their first is three years old.) The other pastor replied, Well now, that should be easy, you already have the girl thing down, right?
His reply was – I’m not sure any of us ever have that parenting thing down. (Can I get an, Amen?!)
When we were expecting Daniel we read, What to Expect When You’re Expecting, The Guide to Your Baby’s First Year, The Father’s Guide for the Baby’s First Year, etc… We went to childbirth classes, nursing classes and caring for your baby classes. We paid attention in the hospital and allowed the nurses to show us everything we were supposed to do.
But, when they said, It’s time to go home!, we thought, You aren’t going to let us take this baby home are you? We just aren’t ready!
Well, we were…but we weren’t. We are…but we aren’t. But, by the Grace of God, here we are.I remember my cousin saying, after his son, Will, was born, there is never a moment – 24 hours a day – where either the washer or dryer is going and lights are on somewhere in the house. Often all three are going on at the same time.
When should I call? I said. His response – Anytime, we are always up now.
You know, there are some things in life you only learn by experience. Some journeys are such that you must learn as you go. Step by step. Steps of faith.
The book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospel of Luke. And here, in the first verses of Acts we pick up where the last verses of Luke have taken us – with some repetition.
Jesus has risen from the dead and he’s come back to the earth for forty days and during this time he has revealed himself to the disciples, he has given them instructions and commands and he has tried to prepare them for his departure.
Notice that he’s given them the instructions, Stay here in Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit to come to you. This is what the Father has promised.
Of course, as I look at the disciples and try to sympathize with what they are going through, I realize, if they are anything like I am, they want to go back to Galilee, back home, back where things are easier.
Notice here – this is not what discipleship is about. At least not as far as Jesus is concerned. It is as if Jesus says to them, I am not calling you to a place where you will be most at ease…I am calling you to a place where you will be most effective witnesses for me. (Thanks to the comments of Alexander Maclaren)
Notice Jesus is never sentimental or nostalgic. Jesus always calls us to press forward from where we are now not to a place we have been before but to a place where he is calling us and a place that he is preparing for us.
This instance in Scripture has been called the Ascension, for Jesus ascends into Heaven where he will rule forever. And Luke records that he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
As Jesus ascended, they must have tarried. They looked intently into the sky. They reflected upon Jesus’ life and ministry. They were focused. They marveled at what they were seeing. They noticed what had happened and they studied what it meant in those moments.
The brief portion of the text I want us to focus upon is verse eleven, and it is so very telling. Spoken by, I assume, the angels:
"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky?”
Why do you stand here looking into the sky? What did this mean? What does it mean for you and me?
Jesus’ call is into a life of deep conviction, strong compassion, endless grace and eternal mercy. Jesus’ call is to follow with our lives. Remember Jesus’ instructions in the Sermon on the Mount. They were not theoretical but practical. He advised his followers on anger and murder, on contempt and lust, on family and marriage, on bullying and living with enemies.
You and I live in a specific place and we’ve been given a specific life that involves certain family members and neighbors. You have specific talents and gifts, so do I. You have been given opportunities to serve the Lord today. They may not be there tomorrow.
As Eleanor Roosevelt so aptly said: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift; that’s why they call it the present.
And, you know, this present is created by God wrapped up by Jesus Christ himself and delivered to you by the Holy Spirit.
And the angels are saying to you right now, can you hear them? …Why do you stand here looking into the sky?
I believe – I have been convicted lately - that one of the greatest things the church need is more theologians. What do I mean by that? Well, I believe we don’t give our faith enough thought. We don’t marvel enough at God.
In seminary my favorite professor, David Garland, said, My problem with students is that they spend too much time out there (pointing to the world) and not enough time in there (pointing to the library.)
Well, what does serious reflection do for a person? What will daily prayer and contemplation with the Lord accomplish? What will a commitment to studying the Scriptures in whole and specifically the Gospels and the life of Christ do for you?
You will be prepared to return the life you’ve been given to God. You will be able to present your lives as a living Sacrifices to God – this is what God wants from you. This is our job.
How we walk away from this place is of central importance to God. God wants your whole life – or as Eugene Peterson says in the Message translation of the Bible – God wants … your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – He wants the whole thing as an offering. This is the best thing you can do for God.
So – what does this all mean? Well, step one is this. You have to decide and only you can decide. You must commit to following Jesus Christ wherever he leads. This may mean there are some behaviors in your life that will have to change – absolutely. This may mean some priorities and what you do with your time and your money and your giftedness will have to be refocused.
This will mean that you will do your tasks; you will live your life and follow through with your responsibilities – you will do this – no longer for yourself. You will live starting right now for God. If you have never made this commitment or if you need to re-focus or re-commit to this commitment again, then use this time…right now. I will be here to receive you if you come. The Lord – right now – is listening to your prayers.
Or – as the angels ask – will you stand there and look at the sky? Amen.
If you have feedback or comments about this blog, please email me at ande.myers@gmail.com.
